IGF 2019 OF #27 The Future of Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development

Information

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a range of new opportunities to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals. However, without the necessary capacity, technology and data to train AI, countries may miss out on the immense potential AI has to offer in the future. In addition, existing policy frameworks in many countries need to be updated to reflect the technological development of AI technologies. Against this background, the session launches the international project “FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All” by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The project strives for a more open, inclusive and sustainable approach to AI on an international level. On this occasion, stakeholders from government, international organizations and the private sector present their work and projects on artificial intelligence including in the area of responsible AI, AI-driven voice interaction, mobile data and ethical policy frameworks.

How can we foster international cooperation and peer-learning on the use of ethical artificial intelligence?

How can we promote technical expertise and open training datasets for local artificial intelligence development?

How can policy frameworks and governance approaches ensure the responsible development and use of artificial intelligence?

2. Discussion Areas:

This Open Forum was jointly hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and UN Global Pulse. BMZ unveiled its new project “FAIR Forward. It strives for a more open, inclusive and sustainable approach to AI. A speaker from Ruanda showed, how better open access to African language data can enable the development of AI-based voice interaction in local languages. The aim is to empower marginalized groups and enable local innovation. UNGP presented its work in Africa: Supporting political frameworks for a value-based AI and better data protection e.g. in Ghana and Uganda. There was broad support for the initiative, in particular on creating open datasets of marginalized languages. It was added that attention has to be paid to the choice of languages, particularly the amount of people who speak the language as well as the state of digital development of communities and accountability of AI systems.

3. Policy Recommendations or Suggestions for the Way Forward:

Support initiatives to build open voice datasets of languages that the private sector does not cover or provide publicly for economic reasons to allow for inclusive AI development

Further focus on countries and regions that have been left behind in the development of AI technologies so far

Focus on languages that are spoken by many people i.e. Swaheli

Avoid exploitation of datasets and allow for equal and open access to the datasets

In terms of policy frameworks, new regulation has to be tailored for the local context and shall not be simply copied from other countries without adaptation.

4. Other Initiatives Addressing the Session Issues:

Initiatives that support the strengthening of local knowledge and educational offers on AI development, creating freely available data for local AI innovation and helping to shape the political framework for a value-based AI and better data protection are:

BMZ FAIR Forward

UN Global Pulse

Digital Umuganda

VIAMO

Mozilla’s Common-Voice project

IDRC, Knowledge for All

SIDA: Artificial Intelligence for Development

UNESCO: Artificial intelligence with human values for sustainable development

5. Making Progress for Tackled Issues:

In order to allow for an inclusive future of AI, the project “FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All” has been started and will run for three years. Mozilla’s Common-Voice project is underway to not only collect but also to make open-source voice databases on various languages publicly available. The project is continuing to seek active input and advice from the IGF ecosystem.

6. Estimated Participation:

Total onsite: 110

Total online: 8

Please estimate the total number of women present onsite and online.

Total onsite: 32

Total online: Cannot indicate online number of women

7. Reflection to Gender Issues:

Voice powered Artificial Intelligence allows to build services that better serve underprivileged groups and women. One example discussed at the session was VIAMOs 3-2-1 system of information on breastfeeding and child healthcare for mothers.